The chase and subsequent manhunt that began at a Wilkes County traffic checkpoint and ended with an Iredell County sheriff's detective being wounded Tuesday morning provides a sobering reminder of the dangers confronting law enforcement officers on a daily basis.
Detective Sgt. J.T. Smith was treated and released at Iredell Memorial Hospital after being shot in the leg.
Not only did the suspect in this incident, identified by authorities as William Welton Jr., open fire on officers, he also reportedly attempted to run over two deputies during a pursuit. The manhunt ended after the suspect was shot and taken into custody.
While shocking to most law-abiding citizens, incidents like Tuesday's are not unexpected by the brave men and women who take an oath to protect and serve their fellow man. Officers know the risks, the statistics and the horror stories that keep their loved ones up at night while the rest of us sleep soundly.
A total of 170 officers in the U.S. were murdered in the line of duty between Jan. 1, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2007, according to the FBI. A staggering 175,000 officers were assaulted during that time period, 46,859 of whom were injured.
Those numbers demonstrate why law enforcement officers deserve to be held in high-esteem — and why the dangerous criminals who do them harm (or attempt to) should face the maximum penalties prescribed by law.
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